5 Benefits of Earthworm Castings

Earthworm Castings are the excrement left behind by worms after they finish digesting the organic matter that makes up their diet. They are made in a container filled with moistened bedding and redworms. With food waste and with assistance from microorganisms, the worms will convert bedding and food waste into compost. Worm composting can be done year-round, indoors in schools, offices and homes. It is a natural method for recycling nutrients in food waste without odor. The resulting compost is a good soil conditioner for houseplants, gardens and patio containers.

2. Castings act as a barrier to help plants grow in soil where the pH levels are too high or too low. They prevent extreme pH levels from making it impossible for plants to absorb nutrients from the soil.

3. The humus in the castings extracts toxins and harmful fungi and bacteria from the soil. Castings therefore have the ability to fight off plant diseases.

4. Castings have the ability to fix heavy metals in organic waste. This prevents plants from absorbing more of these chemical compounds than they need. These compounds can then be released later when the plants need them.

5. Castings are also an effective way to repel white flies, aphids and spider mites and any pest that feeds on plant juices. According to recent studies, applying earthworm castings to the soil around your plants increases the production of a certain enzyme that is offensive to these insects.

How Can You Use Earthworm Castings?

You can use your worm castings immediately, or you can store it and use it during the gardening season, or whenever. The compost can be directly mixed with your potting soil or garden soil as a soil amendment, which helps make nutrients available to plants. Or, the compost can be used as a top dressing for your indoor or outdoor plants. You can also make “worm tea” with your castings. The resulting “tea” helps make nutrients already in the soil available to plants.

Big Worm from Roots Organics

Roots Organics Premium Worm Castings is a distinctive natural soil amendment. Their worms are carefully tended and fed an unparalleled blend of organic compost, rock dust and kelp for exceptional quality castings. In addition to containing nitrogen, these carefully formulated castings also contain small amounts of phosphorus and potassium and naturally occurring micronutrients, minerals and beneficial bacteria.